Quality Public Education for All New Jersey Students

 

 
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GSCS Take on Governor's Budget Message
GSCS Initial Take - Before the Message and After the Message: "Prior to the Governor's Budget Message yesterday, most - If not all - education advocates were pretty convinced that state support for schools would decrease yet again.

Parents and Boards and Superintendents have been agonizing over reductions up to the 15-20 percent range, as certain 'signals' were warning districts to anticipate. Such deep reductions in programs and staffing had a timeline of early March.

Yesterday, contrary to worst expectations, aid was increased in the Governor's Proposed Budget. The increase is based on a 'giveback' of 20% of the total of the overall 5% that was reduced from each district's budget. This funding increase adds up to $218.4M..."

GSCS Initial Take - Before the Message and After the Message:

Prior to the Governor's Budget Message yesterday, most -  If not all - education advocates were pretty convinced that state support for schools would decrease yet again.

Parents and Boards and Superintendents have been agonizing over reductions up to the 15-20 percent range, as certain 'signals' were warning districts to anticipate. Such deep reductions in programs and staffing had a timeline of early March.

Yesterday, contrary to worst expectations, aid was increased in the Governor's Proposed Budget.  The increase is based on a 'giveback' of 20% of the total of the overall 5% that was reduced from each district's budget. This funding increase adds up to $218.4M. In addition to the $218 million, other increases include:  Extraordinary Special Education Aid at $7.7M; School Choice Aid at $12.5M (this is to support the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program); Charter School Aid at $4.6; Debt Service Aid a $2.0M; Assessment of EDA Debt Service at $4.1M and 'Other Aid' at $1.1M.

Further, while School Building Aid is decreased by $4.1M, preschool education funding is not reduced.

Some of the funding items noted in the Budget Message, such as property tax rebates to seniors and the taxpayers with certain income levels, were tied to the legislature successfully passing the Governor's toolkit legislation. It is notable that state aid to schools is not linked to such a quid pro quo. We have been told state school support stands on its own and  is an absolute commitment for FY'12.

GSCS caveat: As always, the devil is in the details, and continual scrutiny of both the Executive and Legislative budget proposals as they move forward will be reported to you by GSCS in a timely fashion.  Such updates on the budget issues will be transmitted to you as information becomes clear.

Overall, GSCS considers this change of direction in school funding a positive.  The extraordinary pain that school districts have been going through has been diminished as our worst expectations did not come about, and aid allocations return to the plus side of the ledger. 

But certainly, we are not out of the woods yet. The strength of GSCS advocacy, combined with the voice of our members and New Jersey communities at large, is needed to persevere and to continue to make the difference.

Last week GSCS wrote: "Our message is strong and has taken hold."

It seems that the Statehouse - executive branch and legislative caucuses alike - are hearing us.

Thank you - stay tuned, stay active and keep advocating!